


They Exist In Darkness

by EstelleDusk



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Don't copy to another site, Gen, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-26
Updated: 2020-01-26
Packaged: 2021-02-27 04:20:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,193
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22420945
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EstelleDusk/pseuds/EstelleDusk
Summary: First and foremost, Maleficent was a faery, borne of darkness, yes, but a faery first. And there were certain instincts in her species that were hard to cull, such as claiming a lost child as her own.
Relationships: Maleficent & Riku (Kingdom Hearts)
Comments: 8
Kudos: 46
Collections: Mama Mal and Changeling Riku





	They Exist In Darkness

**Author's Note:**

> note: occassionally fae pronouns are used for Maleficent. fae, faer, faer, faers, faerself.  
> to learn more about non binary pronouns, go here https://nonbinary.miraheze.org/wiki/English_neutral_pronouns#Fae

She followed the siren call. Looking at a world map as she searched world by world for a child that would fit “Ansem’s” requirements. A would-be keyblade wielder that could be manipulated.

Every world she bypassed, she could feel the hurt of hundreds of children, each one calling for one of her kind to come take them away, begging. Maleficent just couldn’t understand what these Lightners were doing. How could they hear those cries and do nothing? These Lightners didn’t deserve to have such gifts, and she knew just who would properly appreciate those dear children.

Each world she bypassed, she sent to darkness. She urged the Heartless to take the crying children to the fae that live in the realm of darkness. So that they would finally be cared for as they begged to be. She couldn’t watch over the children herself, though he wanted to.

So she kept following the siren call, searching all worlds she could find. Some of them had prospective keyblade wielders, but not the type Ansem had asked him to find. So she sent them along with the other children. And then...

Destiny Islands was found.

A world so bright, it hurt to look at.

Yet on that world was a great cry for faekind to come and steal a child away.

A child in pain, wanting to escape a world too small for him, with a keyblade already in his heart.

Precisely what Ansem requested.

And yet...

It goes against faer very nature.

To willingly allow such a needy child to be used by someone.

She decided to move on, quietly, never tell Ansem that she had found a perfect candidate for his plans, so long as he never asked.

But of course he asked.

And she was forced to tell the truth. There was no way to avoid the truth in how he asked. Because he knew what she was, and knew how to extract the truth from her.

So Destiny Islands fell. Ansem chose to handle that world himself, to tempt the would-be keyblade wielder into darkness. But not the darkness Maleficent commanded. No, Ansem claimed the child for himself, as a potential vessel.

She understood, but she hated it.

The darkness brought the child to her doorstep. Brought the child to faer instead of to the one that claimed him. It brought a smile to faer face, seeing how even nature would demand fae take care of such a gift.

She accepted her nature-given charge graciously, ignoring Ansem’s plans for Riku. She gave him choices, options, gifts, the world at his feet if only he would take it.

Young Riku was glad to take all that was offered, he was suspicious, that was fair. It was understandable. He had never met one of faer kind. He had no idea that he could trust faer.

Of course, Maleficent couldn’t ignore Ansem forever. She had already checked the timelines, she knew what would happen and when. She would fail to protect her new son from Ansem, but he would be able to protect himself.

With everything she would make sure to teach him.

She supposed then that she _had_ protected him, in spirit. Or would protect him.

So she allowed herself to be used as Ansem wished. Turned into her other form, and then temporarily banished from the realm of light. She could use the vacation if she was honest. Her cousins must have questions needing answers. She had sent so many wanting children to new homes that hadn't been expecting any.

She just wished she had had more time with dear Riku. He was the perfect son, and she hadn't even been able to suggest he come away with her to her home. He had worried too much about his friends.

When fae finally came back to the realm of light, a year and a day as is traditional unless called back via memory, so much had changed.

She hadn't been certain which timeline she was in, and required Pete to detail it. She didnt like this timeline. It was one where she was homeless and apparently had naught to her name but her raven and Pete. At least it would seem Riku was still around.

His scent was in the castle, recent enough that he must have been here a week ago. She visited his old bedroom and found the bed wasn’t made. Empty bottles that smelt of ether and elixirs. Blood soaked rags. Clothing on the floor and thrown over a chair.

It was almost like he had never left despite her absence.

That warmed her heart. Enough that when Pete stumbled across her and found the messy bedroom, he must have thought she was upset about squatters, he promised he’d get the heartless to clean up the mess. She sent him away and told him not to touch this section of the castle.

If Riku intended to come back, she didn’t want to scare him away. She wanted him to come home to her.

She wouldn't apologize for what happened, of course not. And he wouldn't apologize for being possessed and stabbing her, she wouldn't accept it, and he would know. Because that's not how they worked.

When he showed skill, no matter how it was shown, it was celebrated.

He set Oogie on fire? Brilliant! Throw a party!

He learned how to cast Silence but it was on himself? Amazing! A spell cast on the self tended to be more difficult.

All achievements are celebrated.

He threw off Ansem's possession. Summoned a keyblade. Protected his friends.

He achieved great things.

Why hadn't she seen him in the realm of darkness?

All her research had claimed he went there, stayed there for a time. So why hadn't she seen him? Was he avoiding the fae that once housed him? Was he guilty? Did he resent her?

She couldn't see him. She was in a timeline where she couldn't see his familiar face until she found a white castle to live in, nestled halfway in the darkness.

So she was surprised when she realized a meeting she had bypassed looking too closely at, one with Ansem, had in truth been her son. Come to warn her of the current enemy.

And see if his senses had told him the truth.

She was back.

And he had known without being told.

Because now he was like her. Not fully, no, he would have had to spend much longer in darkness to become fae. But he was so obviously on his way to changing from human to other. She hadn’t even had to ask him, he willingly walked into it without a care.

Did he realize what he had set in motion?

She was charmed by the thought that he had knowingly become other than human, after just a short time with her. But she didn’t for a minute think he knew what he had done.

Now wasn’t the time to discuss that however. Her son had an enemy, and she would defend him with her last breath and the next.

Then she would sit him down and let him know what was happening.


End file.
